Plastic connecting element for reinforcing or strengthening rods



June 3, 1969 w, w, KORF 3,447,277

PLASTIC CONNECTING ELEMENT FOR REINFORCING OR STRENGTHENING RODS I Filed Dec. 29, 1966 lnventon v Ili 4/ W I United States Patent US. Cl. 52-687 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a connecting element for connecting two intersecting reinforcing rods of a structural steel mat, embodying spacing means for spacing the mat above a supporting surface in the form of crossing webs, and a ring surrounding the same.

In order to produce reinforcing mats of intersecting structural steel rods, connecting elements are used for embracing and holding the rods together 'at their points of intersection. Such connecting elements are presently formed of synthetic plastics. By the use of these connecting elements it is possible to form mats of steel reinforcing rods which are unsuitable for welding.

The prior art includes known connecting elements which are equipped with a conically tapered spacer member which rests on the supporting surface. It has been found in practice, however, that such a conical spacer member permits toppling over of the connecting element under a load, since it is insufficiently stable.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a connecting element which is sufliciently stable not to top ple over under a load.

It is another object of the invention to provide a connecting element with a spacer portion formed of a minimum amount of material while being rigid from top to bottom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a ring for rigidly embracing the spacer portion of the connecting element in such manner as to insure its stability and to provide a connecting element having over-all rigidity.

In order to obviate the defects named above and to realize the stated objects, the present invention provides a connecting element of novel form embodying a novel supporting ring and a novel spacer member carried thereby.

According to the invention, intersecting webs are fixed to rod-embracing means of the connecting element and extend downwardly to form the spacer portion, A ring which is a part of the connecting element surrounds a portion of the intersecting webs to fix the webs to the rod-embracing means. At the same time, the intersecting webs taper at the upper ends thereof within the ring and extend downward therefrom with parallel outer edges. Thus, the spacer portion of the invention will not bend under loading, but is light-weight and rigid; and a simple, easily handled and conveniently stored connecting element is thus provided.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a connecting element consisting of means for embracing two crossing rods, one above the other, and having intersecting webs fixed thereto and extending downwardly for spacing the rod-embracing means above a supporting surface, such as a temporary shuttering for concrete work.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a supporting ring surrounds the upper portion of the intersecting spacer webs.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as .to its construction and its method of operation, together 3,447,277 Patented June 3, 1969 with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, which is an elevation, partly broken ofl, illustrating a connecting element constructed and arranged according to the invention.

The drawing shows a connecting element 11 comprising an upper portion having means 12 for embracing two crossing reinforcing rods 13 and 14, one above the other. Although but two rods are shown, conceivably more than two might be connected in angular relationship by the tubular parts of the connecting element 11. The two rods 13 and 14 are shown as meeting at right angles when connected by the connecting element 11. However, it is possible that the rods might be connected at a different angle by the connecting element.

Fixed to the rod-embracing means 12 and projecting downward from it is a spacer portion 15. As here shown, the spacer portion is formed by two webs 16 intersecting each other at right angles and being integral. Webs 16 are integral with the rod-embracing means and extend downwardly therefrom for spacing the rod-embracing means above a supporting surface 0. The webs have two pairs of parallel outer edges 17. The spacer portion 15 thus maintains its stiffness from top to bottom and does this with a minimum amount of material. Although the embodiment chosen to illustrate the invention discloses a construction in which two intersecting webs form the spacer member 15, it is possible to form the spacer member with a different number of webs.

Situated below the lower rod 14 in the rod embracing portion 12 of the connecting element 11, and integral with the same and with the spacer portion 15, is a supporting ring 18. In order that the webs of spacer portion 15 may be surrounded by the supporting ring 18, the upper web portions are recessed and tapered where they are integrally connected with ring 18 as best shown in the left-hand portion of the drawing.

Thus, the supporting ring 18 surrounds the tapered upper portions of the intersecting webs 16 for increasing the rigidity of the webs, and also connects the webs integrally with the means 12 which connect the two crossing reinforcing rods 13 and 14. The supporting ring 18 is reduced in thickness in a downward direction and advantageously has an external frusto-conical surface. This frustoconical outer surface of the ring 18 termniates at the lower end of the recessed and tapered upper portions of the webs 16, so that the lower end of the supporting ring 18 has the same diameter as the outer parallel edges 17 of the webs. Because of the reduced thickness in downward direction of the supporting ring 18 it will thus be apparent that the intersecting webs have pairs of parallel longitudinal outer edges 17 spaced a shorter distance from each other than the corresponding ends of the tubular parts of the rod-embracing means 12.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of connecting elements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a connecting element having an integral spacer portion formed by intersecting webs held together by a ring, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing inany way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A connecting element for a plurality of crossed reinforcing rods comprising means for embracing said rods and holding the same one above the other in angular relationship; intersecting webs fixed to said rod-embracing means extending therefrom for spacing said rod-embracin g means from a supporting surface; and a supporting ring surrounding a portion of the axial length of said intersecting webs and being integral with the same.

2. A connecting element as defined in claim 1 wherein said intersecting webs, rod-embracing means, and said sup porting ring are integral.

3. A connecting element as defined in claim 1 wherein said rod-embracing means include two crossing tubular parts for holding two crossed reinforcing rods.

4. A connecting element as defined in claim 3 wherein said intersecting webs have outer edges radially spaced a shorter distance than the corresponding ends of said tubular parts of said rod-embracing means.

5. A connecting element as defined in claim 1, wherein said intersecting webs are two in number and intersect one another at right angles.

6. A connecting element as defined in claim 1, wherein said supporting ring has a frusto-conical outer surface.

7. A connecting element as defined in claim 6, wherein said intersecting Webs have parallel outer edges with recessed upper portions, and said supporting ring surrounds said recessed upper portions.

8. A connecting element as defined in claim 7, wherein said supporting ring has a frusto-conical surface which surrounds said recessed upper portions of said intersecting Webs.

9. A connecting element a defined in claim 8, wherein said supporting ring is integral with said rod-embracing means, and said support ring is of downwardly tapering diametrical thickness.

10. A connecting element as defined in claim 1, wherein said rod-embracing means is a plastic upper part of said element having axially separated rod-embracing passages therethrough, wherein said intersecting webs are a plastic lower portion of said element, and wherein said supporting ring is an intermediate plastic element connecting said rod-embracing means and said intersecting webs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1903 Lyon 52686 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

ANDREW V. KUNDRAT, Assistant Examiner.

- US. Cl. X.-R. 287-49 

